Top board member Wendy Stops joins the Centre for Business Analytics

One of Australia's foremost technology leaders has been appointed as the new Chair of the Centre for Business Analytics advisory board.

Wendy Stops is a non-executive director of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Coles Group, Altium and Fitted For Work, as well as a Council Member at the University of Melbourne, who has more than 30 years of experience working at the intersection of technology and business.

Prior to her board positions, Wendy was an information technology and management consultant for global professional services company Accenture, where she held several regional and global leadership positions including Senior Managing Director – Technology, Asia Pacific.

"For most of my career, I have witnessed the impact of information technology on organisations at the highest level," she said.

"The rise of data analytics has led to a seismic shift in strategic and operational thinking. I'm excited to be involved with a world-leading academic centre that is dedicated to helping business navigate that shift.

"Data analytics is a 'non-negotiable' in business today. It has become strategically critical for organisations wanting to grow, gain a competitive advantage and better understand their customers and business.

"I look forward to working with the leadership of the Centre for Business Analytics to continue its growth and ability to make a strong impact on industry through collaboration on research, teaching and events."

Melbourne Business School's Centre for Business Analytics was founded in 2014 to address the worldwide demand for analytics research and knowledge.

Founding Director of the Centre, Professor Ujwal Kayande, said Wendy was the perfect choice to help guide the future direction of the Centre.

"Wendy is the perfect fit to shape the future of the Centre for Business Analytics, and to make sure it stays deeply engaged with the needs of industry while also delivering world-class education and research," he said.

"I am excited and grateful that Wendy is joining the advisory board and I look forward to hearing the new ideas she brings to the table.

"Wendy is one of those rare leaders with a background in STEM and a passion for technology and data, who also has the skills and experience to operate at the highest levels of business.

"Wendy's experience on the boards of some of Australia's most important organisations gives her a birds-eye view of just how much analytics is reshaping business decisions today, as well as which challenges the Centre needs to address most urgently."

As Chair of the Centre's advisory board, Wendy will lead a team including David Bowie, Vice President of SAS Australia & New Zealand, Emma Gray, Chief Data Officer at ANZ, Brooke Miller, Vice President Sales and Marketing at BP Australia and Antony Ugoni, Director of Global Matching and Analytics at SEEK.